[Critique Group 2] Leonard's belated comments re: Alice Sept piece

[tuchyner5 at aol.com]

Ihave no suggestions about improving this piece. My attention was really riveted, and I was left wanting to know moredetails.  If you don’t like beingcompared to a mouse, how about a bull dog, as in Bull Dog Drummin.   Greatstory. Now we have thje puzzle piece of what your potentially life threateningdiscovery is. Should we be taking out a life insurance policy on you?

 

 

ThreePuzzle Pieces of Life

 

by AliceJane-Marie Massa

 

 

           How many 5'3", one hundred-pound, blind women have received threats ontheir lives?  Not many, one would think; but I have--not once, buttwice.  Now, I am slightly wondering if I may add a third to thisincredible listing.

 

           In 1971, when I was enrolled in a semester of student teaching, I recall that mysupervising teacher, trying to somewhat cover his great surprise, told me:"When you get in front of the class, it is like you are anotherperson.  You are like an actress on a stage."  At age 21, Inever thought my change from one side of the desk to the other was thatdrastic.  How we are perceived by others is sometimes a curious thing.

 

           In the midst of a five-year long political effort in the 1980s, on behalf of myrural       hometown which was beingsignificantly impinged by a massive coal company, my name was in the newspaperagain.  The reporter--not from the small town nearer to my 

What do you mean by ‘(again)?  You haven’t mentioned being in the papersbefore in this piece.

hometown, but from the largest city in the nextcounty--used the cliche that I was "the mouse that roared." While the piece was flattering, I was not exactly pleased with my comparison toa mouse.  Nevertheless, the reporter was nice and gave my side somemuch-needed positive exposure.

 

           While continuing this political goal, very late one night, the phonerang.  I picked up the receiver of what now would be considered anold-fashioned phone with ten rectangular buttons stretching across thehorizontal base.  The man's message was short and to the point:  dueto my political actions, he threatened my life.  Although I knew I was"playing with the big boys," as some would say, I never dreamedsomeone would threaten my life.  Hearing an unexpected  car pull intothe white-rock driveway when I was home alone, I was a little worried; however,eventually the trial was over.  I moved on.  With a fellowship grantfor a second master's degree, I moved to a university town in another state.

 

           In the 1990s, at a workplace, a co-worker, who had periodic bouts with mentalillness, became belligerent with me for no apparent reason.  Since onlyshe and I were in the office at the time, my guide dog and I hurried out of thevery large room, crossed the hallway, and went to another office where I knew therewould be at least one secretary--at least one witness.  The("normally sighted") person who threatened me with bodily injuryfollowed my guide dog and me into the other office and continued her outlandishthreatening words in front of the witness.  The secretary immediatelycalled security.  

 

           When I gave a complete statement to a security officer, he encouraged me topress charges.  Due to the mental illness of the co-worker and due to theage of my parents (who would not have wanted me to pursue the matter further),I chose not to press charges; however, in a file, I still have the documents ofthis incident.  Temporarily, my supervisor had me move to another office;then, the co-worker took yet another leave-of-absence for another year. Eventually, she retired; I continued working without having to worry about her.

 

           Now, over two decades later, I am in another one of those situations. This time, I know the circumstances.  My journalism degree served me wellin this retirement year.  I take some satisfaction in thinking that evenMike Wallace, of Sixty Minutes fame, would be pleased with mypersistence, my relentless questioning to find an astonishing answer--soastonishing that within minutes, I e-mailed all of the details to the mostwell-known talk-show host of local radio.  A couple of hours later, Iasked a relative to write down a name and a telephone number.  When I toldher the entire findings, she firmly agreed that the information which I hadgathered was indeed "astonishing."  I joke that I may need someprotection, but she was too serious in telling me to be careful.  At thispoint in my life, I only worry about the well-being of my guide dog.  

Are you going to leave us hanging here? Comeon, you can tell us. 

           I do not want to be momentarily famous as a result of this finding:  Ijust want to be at peace and be able to move on with my retirement life with myguide dog.  I really do want life to be easier, less exciting.

 

           Some puzzle pieces of life one never expects.  I wonder what tomorrow willbring.

 

September 19-20, 2018 (11:45 p.m.-1:22 a.m.)

 

 
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